LeMieux quits Florida Senate race

6/20/12 12:07 PM EDT

Former Florida Sen. George LeMieux ended his campaign for the GOP Senate nomination today, and announced in a video that he’s supporting front-runner Rep. Connie Mack.

The decision is a bow to the inevitability of Mack’s campaign and a result of the congressman’s slow strangulation of all his primary opponents.

With relatively low name recognition compared with Mack, the namesake son of a former Florida senator, LeMieux was boxed in as a result of Mack’s refusal to debate. Tuesday brought even worse news: Mack won the endorsement of tea party-affiliated FreedomWorks and billionaire Sheldon Adelson planned to contribute $1 million to the super PAC backing Mack.

LeMieux, who has pounded Mack with tough criticism, alluded to his situation in an announcement colored by the practical thinking of a former local party chairman.

“The establishment has thrown their support behind my competitor, Connie Mack. Ahead of us in the polls, the Mack name enjoys widespread recognition that can only be matched with substantial advertising or the opportunity to debate on statewide television. Advertising, which our finances cannot support, and debates, which my competitor won’t agree to,” he said.

"As a former party chairman, I know that sometimes for the good of the party, and the good of the nation, a candidate has to bow out gracefully. In order to have the best chance to defeat Bill Nelson and put the Senate in Republican hands, today we will end our campaign," he added. "To continue would only hurt our chances in the fall, and that is not something that I will risk. Connie Mack will be our nominee. He has my support."

LeMieux, who served in the Senate for a little over a year, was also hurt by his connection to the party-switching former governor who appointed him, Gov. Charlie Crist, who is a pariah to Florida Republicans.

While the former senator’s withdrawal from the race doesn’t clear the GOP Senate field, it puts Mack on a glide path to the nomination against his underfunded remaining opponents. And that would set up a November showdown between Connie Mack IV and Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson — the man who won Connie Mack III’s Senate seat when he retired in 2000.

UPDATE (3:29 PM): This post has been updated to reflect LeMieux's status as a former local GOP chairman.